Man takes deal, pleads guilty in crash that killed two CDOT workers

The driver in a September 2024 crash that killed two Colorado Department of Transportation workers on U.S. 6 near Palisade took a plea deal Tuesday, according to court records.

Patrick Sneddon, 59, pleaded guilty to three counts of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence and one count of failing to yield the right of way to a stationary public service utility vehicle resulting in death, all felonies, court records show.

The deal dropped eight additional charges from his case, including additional counts of failing to yield the right of way, vehicular homicide, DUI and reckless driving.

On Sept. 6, 2024, Sneddon crashed a Jeep Grand Cherokee into two CDOT employees working to fix a sign on the side of U.S. 6 in Mesa County. Sneddon then hit a parked CDOT vehicle and rolled his car.

Both workers — identified by state officials as Trent Umberger and Nate Jones — died in the crash. The two maintenance professionals worked in Grand Junction, officials said.

Sneddon’s passenger, Kathi Ann Wallace of Grand Junction, was also killed in the crash.

Both CDOT workers were following proper safety guidelines when the collision happened, according to a post-crash Colorado State Patrol investigation.

Sneddon is set to appear in court on Oct. 9 for a sentencing hearing, according to court records.

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